MEETING OF TEACHERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 April 1917, Page 7

MEETING OF TEACHERS.

IMPORTANT QUESTION'S DISCUSSED. During the past few days teachers from all parts of the Taranaki Education District have been attending special agricultural classes in New Plymouth, and on Tuesday afternoon advantage was taken of 'the opportunity of holding a special meeting of teachers. Mr. Sims, president of the Taranaki I branch of the Teachers' Institute, provided, and there was a very large and representative attendance. THE AGRICULTURAL COURSE. The chairman introduced the question as to whether the teaohers should approach the Education Board to defray expenses incurred in attending the agricultural classes. He did not think 'hey could expect the Board to me;t the expenses of all the teachers who had attended the classes, but the Board might very reasonably be approached with a roquest to pay those of the probationers and pupil teachers. He pointed out that the classes had been run by the Board and not by the Department. Had the latter done so, they would probably have arranged for paying the e*. penses. He moved that this meeting of teachers ask the Board to pay the expenses or make an allowance to probationers and pupil teachers who had attended the classes. Mr. Lyall seconded. Mr. Auld moved as an amendment that tl'e Board be asked to approach the Department to pay the expenses or part of them of all the teachers. Ho explained that many of the teachers had been under the impression that this would be done, as was the caso two years ago, when they attended classes in physical culture. Mr. Brown seconded the amendment, The chairman said he did not think it would be possible to get the expenses of all the teachers paid. The classes he again pointed out had been run by the Board, and not by the Department, and if they asked the Board to pay the expenses of the pupil teachers they would probably get them. Mr. Auld contended that the principle was wrong. It was wrong that the teaeheTS should l>e out of pocket in attending the classes, 'which, after all, were for the good of the country. In no other public department would the officers be asked to pay their own expenses. After further discussion it was agreed (hat the motion and the amendment should be put to the meeting as two separate propostions The motion proposed by the chairman was carried unanimously, and that proposed by Mr. Auld was also carried, a few voting in the negative, APPOINTMENT OF TEACHERS. The chairman said this was a question which had come into prominence recently in connection with the appointment of master to the Central School. The Institute asked the Board to make thb appointment froin Taranaki teachers, ind gave several reasons why they considered this should be done. (1) It is impossible for teachers in the Taranaki district to gain promotion in other districts; (2) the promotion of a local teacher means promotion of several other teachers in the district; (3) should the appointment be filled from outside, local teachers remain at a standstill, whilst several teachers of outside districts receive promotion; (4) our inspectors have frequently said that the standard of education in Taranaki is as high as, or higher than that of any other district; (5) if it is the Board's policy to fill the best position from outside Taranaki, it- will pay junior teachers in Taranaki to take lower positions under larger Boards, to gain promotion later, and thus the Board may lose promising teachers j (fi) it is the general practice of other Boards to promote their own teachers. The chairman added that whea Bmaller positions became, vacant lists were sent to all teachers inviting them to apply, but if a larger position berame vacant, it would seem to be the practice of the Board to send, outside theirs, implying that the Taranaki teachers were not able to fill those, positions, It was a peculiar position fofr the Board to take up, and was certainly not fair to Taranaki teachers who had put in years of faithful service. He suggested that the meeting pass a resolution which would convey its opinion as to the policy of the Board. Mr. P. Thomas said-that if promotions wero managed in a more intelligent way by the Board out of the recent ■vacancy, there could have been eight to twelve good' promotions in this district. In fairness to its own teachers the Board should make as many promotions as possible. In the- near future several of the large schools in the district would become vacant, and it would be a good thing if Borne intelligent scheme could bo adopted so as to give the benefits of those vacancies to Taranaki teachers. The matter had been discussed by the Institute, and the. executive felt that if delegates could meet the Board and talk the matter over, good would result. The teachers were in the difficult position of being professional men and women, whilst their promotions were arranged by amateurs, by men who knew little about the real difficulties of a: teacher's life. He moved that the Board be asked to meet representatives of the Institute to discuss the question of promotion of teachers, and that the -executive of the Institute recommends the following as a deputation to meet the' IJoard:—Mrs. Dowling, Messrs. Tyrer, Bifry, Mcllroy, Sims, J. Thomas, and D. Evans. Mr. Mcyeilberg seconded. A short' discussion ensued, after which the motion was put to the meeting and carried. SICK PAY. The chairman referred to reductions which had been made in the scale of sick pay for teachers. In all other branches of the public service the employees were treated very much better limn teachers. Mr. Bary quoted figures by way of comparison bearing out the chairman's remarks that hi other branches of the public service the scale nf sick pay was very much better than that allowed the teaching profession. It was eventually resolved tnis meeting of Taranaki teachers expresses its dissatisfaction at the inadequate scale of sick pay for teachers, and would he glad if the Board would urge iipm. the Department the ailvisaliilty of providing a scale similar to that of other branches of the Civil Service. TEACHERS' LIBRARY. Ttie chairman mentioned that representatives of the teachers were met'tiiio: the New Plymouth Library Committee, and th.it It was probable" a fr-acliers' library would be eitablished in New Pl.ytnov.th 111 the near future -